Concrete-mixing machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

W. S. HOTGHKINS. OONGRETE MIXING MAGHINE.

' No. 441,563. 9v, 425, 1890.

ME ZVZQ SSQS I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

1 m M IA K G Wm B HM .3 ST M m 0 G (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 W. S.HOTGHKINS. GONGRETE MIXING MACHINE.

N0.441,563. Patented Nov.25,1890.

(No Model.) 4 sneets sneet 4. W. S. HOTCHKINS.

CONCRETE MIXING MACHINE.

. Patented Nov. 25; 1890.

.223 m2 ior, /K/J UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

VRIGHT S. HOTOHKINS, OF WVIOHITA, KANSAS.

CONCRETE-MIXING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,563, dated November25, 1890.

Application filed February 25, 1890- Serial No. 341,743. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

'Be it known that I, WRIGHT S. HOTCHKINS, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concrete-Mixing Machines, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings and the letters andfigures of reference thereon, forming a part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of the machine, viewing itfrom one side, showing it as it would appear in use upon a street.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3

is a side plan of the drag-rake thereof. Figs. 4 and 5 are endelevations of the drag-rake carriages. Fig. 6 is a front elevation ofthe machine. Fig, 7 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig.8 is a bottomplan view of the machine-frame, showing the trucks and the means forguiding the forward trucks. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional-view of one ofthe cylinders of the machine. Fig. 10 is a detail vertical longitudinalsection at the forward part of the machine through the hoppers and theentrance to the cylinders. Fig. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view ofthe machine at the same point as taken on line 1 of Figs. 10 and 2. Fig.12 is a longitudinal sectional view of the two cylinders of the machine;

and Fig. 13 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of thelevers of the machine and of the mechanism for holding the lever whenadjusted.

This invention relates to certain improvements in machines for mixingconcrete such as is used when paving streets, placed as the foundationmaterial upon which asphalt or the like is placed, or 'for other similarpurposes; and it consists, essentially, 1n a portable frame carrying apair of inclined rotary cylinders; elevators and hoppers for conductingthe different materials which form the concrete compound to the entranceof the cylinders; of a water-pipe leading into and adapted to dischargewater lnto one of the cylinders, and of an engine and boiler foroperating and propelling the machine.

The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the differentmaterials used to make the concrete compound can be mixed on the street,at the place where it is to be used, by mechanical energies, placing theseparate materials in one end ofthe machine and by the mechanicaloperation thereof cause them to be thoroughly mixed together anddelivered at the opposite end, where the concrete is taken and placed onthe street, thereby accomplishing more, more evenly gaging the differentmaterials used, andmore thoroughly mixing them than can be done byphysical strength at the same average expense.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the machine-frame adapted tosupport the several parts'of the machine, and provided with forwardbolster A and the rear boxes 4 4,

and is supported off the ground in an inclinedposition by means of thetruck-rolls R R at the forward end, which are set in the boxframe R uponwhich the frame-bolster A rests, the center plates R acting as a pivotalbearing between the bolster and box-frame, and at the rear part by meansof the rolls or broad-faced wheels D D, which are set in the boxes 3 and3, which boxes telescope with the boxes 4 4 vertically, and are adjustedvertically in said boxes 4 4, respectively, to ad just the incline ofthe machine-frame and its operative parts, by means of the hand-screws SS which turn through the nuts N N, (see- Fig. 7,) which are set in .thefixed-cross-plates 5 (see Figs. 1 and 2) above said boxes, the screwsbeing arranged to turn against similar metallic capped plates across theupper part of boxes 3 3, as shown. To the rear part of the forward truckis secured two converging arms R meeting at their outer ends,where theyare secured together and serve as an arm by means of which the trucksare turned to guide the course of the machine.

Depending from the machine-frame and properly boxed to the frameopposite the arm R one at either side, is a pair of drums or broad-facedwheels,one of which (shown at 6) is provided with a crank 16, extendingabove the frame, the opposite one being shown at 7. L is a rope arrangedacross under the frame, wound about each said drum, and secured at itsends to arm R and by means of which the said arm is moved sidewise bythe turning of the drums, (which will cause the rope to travel,) andthus guide the forward truck.

A is a cross beam or bar secured to a crossbeam of frame A as a means ofsupport for arm R.

M and M, respectively,- represent an ordinary engine and boiler securedupon one side of frame A, and serve as a means for providing power tooperate and propel the machine, the crank-shaft ofwhich engine isprovided with a spur gear-wheel N for operating the machine, as willhereinafter be explained, and with a winch W, about which the rope R forpropelling the machine is wound, and the manner of propelling is asfollows: The said rope is first paid out in advance of the machine andits advanced end secured to a stake, as shown in Fig. 1, or to somefixed object. Its opposite end is then passed between the sheaves 14,(see Figs. 6 and 8,) which are secured to the under central part of thebox-frame R From thence it is passed up over the sheave 15 (see Fig. 8)to and once or twice about the winch V, and thence to one side of theframe adjacent the engine, where it is convenient to grasp, and when itis desired to advance the machine said rope end is pulled, whichtightens its grip on the winch and winds the rope on from below and offfrom the side, thus causing the machine to advance, and when advancedfar enough the rope is slackened, which will cause its grip on the winchto loosen and the machine will stop.

D and D represent the two inclined mixing-cylinders of the machine,respectively, provided with the arms 0 and fixed on the shaft S, asshown, which shaft is boxed at each end and centrally to the frame, thecenter bearing being supported by means of the metallic cross-beam 171,(shown in Figs. 2 and 12; see, also, Fig. 1,) and respectively providedwith the longitudinal spiral flanges F F, fixed to their inner wallsurface, as shown in Fig. 12. Cylinder D is less in diameter and shorterthan its fellow cylinder, and is arranged in advance for the purpose ofreceiving the several dry materials which are used to make the concretecompound, thoroughly mix them together, and deliver them in such mixedcon-- dition to cylinder D where the mixture is subjected to a spray ofwater from the pipes P and P, which are provided with the perforatedexits P and P within cylinder D and during the passage of the mixturethrough cylinder D it is thoroughly mixed with the water, thus formedinto a concrete, and finally delivered from the rear end of the cylinderupon the apron G, which is fixed depending from frame A, and extendsrearward far enough to provide a convenient place from which to shovelthe concrete and from which it is taken and placed on the street. Eachof said cylinders is somewhat converged at its forward end, as shown,respectively, at D and D for the purpose of preventing material used inthe mixture from dropping out at such places.

D is a curvedand inclined stationary apron, (see Fig. 12,) arranged tosupport and direct the materials in their proper course when passingfrom cylinder D to D B represents a circular toothed rack fixed aboutcylinder D in such manner as to mesh with and'be driven to rotate thecylinder by the gear N of the engine crank-shaft. I In order to properlyexplain the further construction of the machine, I desire to state thatthe materials commonly used to make the concrete compound are sand,cement, and crushed rock, mixed together and saturated with water, whichmaterials I prefer to use, and the usual way of using them is todistribute them along the center and sides of the street and compoundthem as the work of placing the concrete advances, which way I prefer toadopt, and shovel or otherwise place each kind of material in itsrespective hopper, as the demand requires.

'1 is the stone or crushed-rock hopper supported by means of the frame Aat the forward part of the machine, having its rear lower part terminatein a chute T, (see Fig. 10,) leading into cylinder D, and divided fromthe chute by means of the gate arranged to slide vertically withinsuitable guides to either cut off or permit the passage of the rock intothe cylinder, and is provided with a connected lever a for operating it,which lever extends to one side of the hopper, where it is grasped, andwhen adjusted to properly open the gate is held by means of aratchetrack, which will be more fully explained hereinafter.

H is a sand-hoppcr supported above hopper T, and is provided with acentral longitudinal partition dividing it into two compartments f andf, each compartment being provided with a gate g and gateway e, leadinginto a general chute E below the gates, which chute leads into thecylinder D above chute T, as shown. H is asimilarbutsl'naller hopperprovided with a similar partition dividing it into the compartments hand h, and with the gates g and gateways e, also leading into thegeneral chute E, the latter hopper being for the cement. Said gates g gand g g are respectively provided with the operating levers a, a, a anda arranged extending to one side through slots in plate K, which slotsare respectively provided with a series of ratchet-teeth as shown at 0,Fig. 13, (see, also, Fig. 1,) and it is intended that each slot shall beprovided with a side spring-rod, as shown at 0, for yieldingly holdingthe lever shown at a engaged with the ratchets, and also that adjustablegages-such as shown at o -be used with each lever to act as a stop toarrest the movement of the levers, so that when once set to properlyopen the gates no further attention is required when closing and againopening the gates, as the levers will be arrested by the stops whenproperly adjusted to open the gates to such width or height'as requiredto permit the passage of the proper quantity of each material.

Z and Z are respectively the hoppers where the sand and cement are firstplaced on the machine, and are arranged on frame A at one side near therespective sand and cement hoppers above, and J and J are elevators ofthe ordinary pattern arranged to respectively elevate the sand andcement from the hoppers Z and Z to the hoppers H and H, and eachelevator is provided at its dischargespout J with a pivoted apron I,having an exterior lever l, the pivots of which are directly over thehopper partitions and are for the purposeof directing the course of theelevated material to either compartment of the hoppers, as desired, byturning the aprons from side to side.

S is a shaft boxed across and connecting the upper end of the elevatorsand supports the interior elevator mechanism (not necessary to be shown)and at one end the pulley B and is driven by means of the belt B,passing about the cylinderD and said pulley. The object of dividing thehoppers H H is that when one compartment is being used the oppositecompartment may be filled, and as the compartments are constructed tohold a given quantity a correct account may be kept of the quantity usedby permitting each compartment to fill before opening its gate. Shouldat any time too great a quantity be elevated to supply the hoppers, theelevatorgates g g at the hoppers Z Z may be closed down, and thus shutoff the supply, by operating-their connected levers a a, which are held,when adjusted, by ratchet-racks Z Z '(see Fig. 1,) similar to that shownin detail and heretofore described, and connected to said gates throughthe medium of the links or rods d d and levers (Z (P, respectively, asshown in Fig. 6.

As a means of supporting the hoppers H and H, they are secured togetherby means of their top side portions and jointly supported from the frameby means of the two center posts or boards n 7, (shown in Figs. 6 and11,) and also by means of the elevators, which are secured firmly to theframe A and the hoppers Z Z below.

Each of theseveral gates of the hoppers and elevators is of the samecharacter and arranged to be operated in like manner, as is shown inFig. 11. Y

As a means of supporting the water-pipes P P, an arched standard isarranged above cylinder D, and to its top part is clipped the pipe, andas a means of regulating the flow or cutting ofi the supply of Water tothe cylinder 1) a valve V is arranged intersecting the pipes, Which isoperated for the purpose The arms 0 of the cylinders terial in thecylinders first'at an acute angle, and as they pass through saidmaterial cause it to be advanced rearward by means of sliding or beingcrowded alongby the said bevelfaced arms.

The spiral flanges of the cylinders are for the purpose of assisting inthe mixing by carrying the materials partially about With them as theyrotate with the cylinders, and when passing the center line, on thehorizontal, permit it to fall, and thereby constantly keep taking thematerial nearest the bottom and turning it over to the top, thus mostthoroughly mixing it. The action of the cylinders is the same withoutthe flanges, but the mixing is more rapid and thorough with them. Theobject in arrangingthe said flanges spirally is so that theirrearwardly-inclining surfaces, when in operation, will assist in forcingthe material rearward, and also to equalize the rising and falling ofthe material during the mixing, for should they be arranged parallelthey would gather a like quantity throughout their length, and whenbrought toa position at or above a horizontal plane with the axis itwould all drop 01? at,

theengine is set in motion, and by means of.

which the cylinders are rotated and by means of the belt B the elevatorsare also operated. An operator taking a position on the frameplatformoperates the levers and thereby regulates the flow of materials intocylinder D. He also observes the working of the elevators and operatesthe spout-aprons I to change the course of the cement and sand to eithercompartment of their hopper, as desired. It is intended that each gateshall be opened just sufliciently to permit a proper quantity of eachmaterial to pass into the cylinder and thereby gage the percentage ofeach material used.

During the passage of the materials through cylinder D they are dry, andthus mixed dry; but when in the cylinder D the water-sprays thoroughlysaturate every particle duringits passage to the apron G, and as a meansof forming a break to prevent the flow of water along the trough of saidcylinder D it is pro vided with the annular flanges F F F which retardthe flow of water, but are not of suflicient size to prevent the passageof the material. The degree of angle of the cylinders governs to a greatmeasure the speed at which the material will pass through them, and as ameans of adjusting them to place them at a proper angle the rear part ofthe frame is adapted to be adjusted vertically by means of I as aconcrete it is placed on the street, as shown in the rear of the machinein Fig. 1, and as ameans of leveling it a drag-rake G is attached to themachine through the medium of the eye-strapsS and connecting-rods 9,(see Fig. 2,) which rake consists of a long curved beam (see Fig. 3)supplied with a series of teeth 12, held by a series of wedges 13, andsupported on the street-curb by a carriage consisting of the attachedadjustable head-frame G and the two flanged wheels 10 thereof, and at ornear the center of the street by a carriage consisting of the frame Gclipped to the beam and thereby rendered adj ustable longitudinally, andof the wheels 11 of the said frame. The purpose of curving the rake-beamis to adapt it to the proper grade or contour of the street, and bymeans of holding the teeth 12 by the wedges they are adapted to beadjusted by loosening the wedges to adapt them to various contours.

By reference to Fig. 12 it will be observed that the rear portions ofthe spiral flanges F of cylinder D terminate with a section at muchgreater degree of angle than the remaining portions, for the purpose ofmore readily ejecting the concrete from the cylinder, so it will not becarried too high at that place, but slide off the said sections and notbe caught by or interfere with the machineframe.

In places where an engine would be an objection as a means of rotatingthe cylinders a train of gears, as shown at y, Fig. 7, in mesh with thegear B and operated by a pair of hand-cranks, (shown atX X may be usedinstead of the engine.

In addition to adjusting the incline of the frame and its attachedparts, the hand-screws S may be adjusted independently to hold themachine level laterally when upon inclined ground.

As a means of strengthening the frame A, a pair of truss-rods, as sho amat Q Q, Fig.8, (see also Fig. 1,) are used extending under the centercross-beam and secured to the end beams.

The head-frame G2 of the drag-rake is slotted and adapted to bevertically adjusted, or may be reversed to accommodate different curbs.(See Figs. 3 and 4.)

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a concrete-mixing machine, the combination, with the portableframe A, provided with the elevators and the hoppers for holding the drymaterials from which the concrete compound is made, of themixing-cylinders D and D respectively provided with the spiral flanges Fand F, and arms 0 of the shaft S, supported in an inclined position andarranged carrying said cylinders, one in advance of the other, withtheir facing ends adjacent each other, the stationary apron forconducting material from one cylinder to the other, and-the meansdescribed for rotating the cylinders, wherein the former cylinder is ofless diameter than the latter and arranged to receive the dry materialsfrom the hoppers to dry-mix them and deliver them to the lattercylinder, wherein they are subjected to a waterspray, wet-mixed, anddelivered at the exit of said cylinder compounded for use, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In the concrete-mixing machinedescribed, the combination, with theportable frame A, provided with the elevators, the hoppers for holdingthe dry materials from which the concrete compound is made, and with theengine for operating the elevating and mixing mechanism, of the shaft S,supported centrally and at each end in suitable bearings, the cylr'inder D, provided with the arms 0 and spiral flanges F, carried upon theforward end portion of the shaft, with its forward end adjacent to andadapted to receive the materials from the hoppers, the cylinder Dprovided with the arms 0 and flanges F F, carried upon the rear endportion of the shaft, with its forward end adjacent to and adapted toreceive the materials from cylinder D, the stationary apron arranged toconduct the materials from one cylinder to the other, and the apron forcatching and holding the concrete compound as it is delivered from thelatter cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In the concrete mixing machine described, the combination, with theportable frame A and the hoppers thereof for holding and delivering thedry materials from which the concrete compound is made, of the cylindersD and D supported in an inclined p0 sition by means of a single lineshaft through the medium of the arms 0 and adapted to rotate jointlywith the shaft, wherein the former cylinder is of less diameter than thelatter and adapted to receive, dry-mix the materials, and deliver theminto the latter cylinder, wherein they are wet-mixed and deliveredtherefrom compounded for use, substantially as set forth.

4. In the concrete mixing machine described, the combination, with thehoppers Z Z and the elevators J and J, respectively provided withdischarge-spouts, and the reversible aprons I at their upper part andthe gates g g at their lower part, of the hoppers H and H, centrallypartitioned and provided with a discharge-gateway and gate in eachcompartment, the levers for operating said several gates, and the chuteE, communicat ing with each hopper-discharge gateway and arranged toconduct the materials therefrom to the dry-mixingcylinder,substantiallyas set forth.

5. In the concrete mixing machine described, the combination of theframe A, provided with the pivoted forward truck having therear-extending arm R and with the rear vertical boxes 4 4, of the rollsRJprovided with the boxes 3, arranged telescoping said frame-boxes, thehand-screws S, titled in the frame and arranged bearing against saidrollboxes, the drums 6 and 7, boxed to the frame, one of which isprovided with a crank for rotating it, and the rope L, arranged aboutsaid drums and connecting the extending end of the arm of-said forwardtruck, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6, In the concrete mixing machine described, the wet-mixing cylinder Dthereof provided with the spiral flanges F, terminating with a greaterdegree of angle at their rear portion than at other portions of theirlength, and with the annular flanges F substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

7. In combination with the portable concrete -mixing machine described agrading drag or rake provided with supporting and traveling carriagesand connected to advance thereof, constructed and arranged substan- 25;

tially as and for the purpose specified.

WRIGHT S. I-IOTOHKINS. Witnesses:

WM. J. HUTOHINS, II. B. HAGIN.

